Down
by Magi Silverwolf
Summary: Left home with her brother's stray, Jenny ends up having to navigate an unexpected mess due to a disrupted schedule. Thankfully, this Tony kid is tolerable. (FPC fill; Aeries)


**Disclaimer:** I do not own the original canon nor am I making any profit from writing this piece. All works are accredited to their original authors, performers, and producers while this piece is mine. No copyright infringement is intended. I acknowledge that all views and opinions expressed herein are merely my interpretations of the characters and situations found within the original canon and may not reflect the views and opinions of the original author(s), producer(s), and/or other people.

 **Warnings:** This story may contain material that is not suitable for all audiences and may offend some readers. Please utilize understanding of personal sensitivities before and while reading.

 **Author's Note(s)** : More Jenny Rhodes! For those playing the home game, this scene takes place during the first time Rhodey takes Tony home during a break-which takes place in _Iron Jizz_ , Chapter 04: _Gorgets_. As a general reminder of age, Tony is (barely clinging to) fourteen.

If you are reading this on FFN, it is only placed in the Avengers category due to the lack of an Iron Man (Movies) one.

 **Fem Power Challenge Information** :  
 **Fill Number** : 06  
 **Representation(s)** : Jennette "Jenny" Rhodes  
 **Bonus Challenge(s)** : Not A Lamp  
 **Word Count** : 1464 (Story Only); 1497 (Story & Epigraph)

-= LP =-  
Down  
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I've heard it in the chilliest land,  
And on the strangest sea;  
Yet, never, in extremity,  
It asked a crumb of me.  
– Emily Dickinson, _Hope is the thing with feathers_  
-= LP =-

Jenny managed to not look up from her book as their houseguest barreled into her room. She wished she could say that three days had been plenty of time to allow her to acclimate to unexpected intrusions of her personal space, that this was something as utterly unique as Tony himself, but brothers were bothers. Jamie may have outgrown the habit of just walking in after his first stint through basic, but Joey was still a little brat with no respect. Therein lay the difference between her normal annoyances and the newest one collapsing dramatically across her bed, barely missing her legs.

Joey was nearly a full year younger than Tony, but there were things Joey understood and elected to ignore while it was clear that Tony just didn't quite understand. For all that the kid was a genius, in a lot of ways, he was also an absolute idiot. Not that she would ever say that to him like that as she would Jamie in the same situation.

Jamie didn't crumple under criticism before pushing forward to prove the critic wrong or overreact to being shown common decency.

Jenny could see why Jamie had latched onto the kid. It was the same reason that the idiot would always be her hero, even if she disagreed with his choices in role models. Jamie was always the boy scout helping out where he could and working constantly to expand that category. James just wasn't happy without someone to help. He wasn't the stray-collector type, usually, because well, they simply couldn't afford to feed and care for a menagerie, but there were plenty of opportunities to help out in their South Philly neighborhood. Tony may not need someone to fix his roof or carry his shopping, but there was no doubt in Jenny's mind that he needed Jamie.

Case in point: her room being invaded because Tony was clearly going stir-crazy despite the fact he had only been without company for a half hour.

At least he wasn't dismantling the toaster again.

Or the vacuum.

" _Jen_ -ny, Jen-Jen, Jen- _ny_ ," he chanted. Mature seventeen-year-old that she was, she poked his side with her toes while still refusing to look up from her book. She hadn't read a single word since he came in, but he was less likely to try and retreat if she didn't turn her full attention to him at once. " _Ow_ , Jenny. That's _rude_. I was just trying to get your attention. When is Rhodey and Mama coming back? They've been gone for- _ev_ -er."

"They have not, squirt," she corrected as she closed her book around the playing card she was using as a marker. Tony was rubbing his side absently while watching her warily. She sighed before wiggling her toes under his hand to lend a gentler pressure to the comfort. With care that he typically only showed Jamie, Tony wrapped his fingers around her ankle, just under the cuff of her pajama pants.

"They have, too. Rhodey doesn't do this—" He made an encompassing circle with his other hand. She bit the inside of her cheek to stifle a smile at him. Instead, she flexed her toes to momentarily clench his shirt. "He likes to sleep in on Sundays. Then we have waffles. But he didn't sleep in, Jenny, and there's no waffles _or coffee_."

"He'll be back, Tony," Jenny said. "They just went to church. They'll be home in another hour or so. We could make waffles."

"It's not the same. Rhodey is supposed to make the waffles on Sunday. Those are the rules for Sundays: sleep in; waffles; coffee. Rhodey made the rules, Jenny. If he made the rules, he's supposed to follow them. Right?"

He was very obviously trying to keep his voice nonchalant and his body was loose for the most part. Only the clench and unclench of his fingers on her ankle betrayed how anxious he was. Carefully so as to not dislodge that hold, she leaned forward and rubbed his stomach like she would a cat. His eyes took on a glitter she suspected was tears. The sight broke her heart a bit. The realization that he would likely deflect any actual comfort broke it even further.

Jamie, you goddamn idiot. Why didn't you explain this before leaving?

"Well, he is supposed to follow them, but it's also a rule that he goes to church when he's home on a Sunday, and Mama made that rule." She thought quickly about mentioning the threats of punishment Mama occasionally used to get the boys to conform to that rule. Immediately, she decided against saying anything along those lines. Jamie wouldn't have jumped down Joey's throat for trying to roughhouse with Tony without a damn good reason. Combined with Tony's other habits, it was probably not far off to think Tony might have a rather severe reaction to the idea of Jamie being hurt by a parent or some other authority figure. She had already seen Tony jump into a couple situations to deflect negative attention away from Jamie and onto himself.

"You didn't go," Tony countered. She drummed her fingers lightly against his stomach, not bothering to hide her smile this time. Tony relaxed under the rhythmic tapping.

"That 'cause the boys' only excuse for not going is laziness while mine is a difference in belief, kind of like why she didn't insist on you going." Jenny dug her fingers in a little like she was going to tickle him. Tony squirmed like he was trying to sink deeper into her mattress rather than trying to escape. Pleased with the nonverbal confirmation of his trust, she continued. "But just a head's up, I know Mama made inquiries with Mr. Katz across the street about letting you tag along to synagogue next Saturday. So you might want to come up with a better excuse than wanting to sleep in if you don't want to go."

"But I'm not Jewish," he replied, genuinely confused. She cocked her head to the side, careful to keep her gaze focused on his ear rather than trying to force eye contact. She had noticed that made him extra wiggly. He seemed to be thinking really fast about something. "It's the way I eat, isn't it? I like the rules that Ana and Jarvis used for making things. It's nice to be close to them, especially…well, especially now. Ana was Jewish. I didn't think about there being a word for the rules she had about food. I just thought that it was like Rhodey's rules about waffles on Sundays and pizza on Tuesday."

"Oh, Tony," she said, "yeah, Mama was thinking you were Jewish because she recognized your weird rules as the kosher diet. There's nothing wrong with eating kosher if that's what makes you feel closer to someone you obviously cared about very much. If you aren't Jewish, though, what are you?"

"I'm a genius," Tony answered without hesitation. It was like the answer was so habitual that he didn't have to think before giving it. That spoke of someone setting up the ritual of it and long enough ago that the cue was deep set enough that the context didn't override the habitual response. Anger flashed through her veins as everything she knew from her introductory classes on psychology rushed forward to provide possible scenarios that might require that particular set of affirmations. Who the hell would have tried to convince Tony that he was anything less than one of the smartest people alive? Who would have _dared_?

More importantly, did Jamie know about this?

God, brothers were such a bother. They were always making messes for her to clean up. Good thing the kid was adorkable.

"Well, that's the truth, even if it doesn't answer my question." Jenny gave the kid three pats in quick succession before moving to get off her bed. "How about this? We can put together a full brunch and have it waiting when they get back. Jamie mentioned that you have intense feelings about eggs?"

"Yup," Tony confirmed with extra emphasis on the 'p' at the end. He was already jumping up to follow her from the room. "I absolutely hate 'em. They're grosser than Rhodey's running socks."

" _Of course_ ," Jenny agreed, because nothing was ever going to be easy when Tony was involved. She ruffled his hair, enjoying the silky fur-like texture of it. He leaned into the touch, once again reminiscent of a cat. Suddenly, Tony clapped his hands and hopped forward to take the lead. She corrected her assessment from _cat_ to _bird_. She huffed a laugh as she heard Tony singing _Iron Man_ as he invaded the kitchen.

It wasn't exactly a tune without words, but she did hope that it never stopped _at all_.

-= LP =-  
An Ending  
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End file.
